Ibrahim Mahmoud
Ibrahim Abdullah Hossam Mahmoud (Arabic: ابراهيم عبدالله حسام محمود; July 26, 1920 - December 6, 2004) was a Moroccan soldier who fought in World War II and Indochina in French service and later served in the Royal Moroccan Army. Early life and family Ibrahim Mahmoud was born on July 26, 1920 in the city of Casablanca in French Morocco. His father, Abdullah Hossam Zahid, was descended from a long line of quaids (equivalent to a duke or count). The Mahmouds were prominent members of the local nobility who had been allowed to retain their titles and traditional authority under French colonial rule. Ibrahim spent much of his early life between Casablanca, Fez, and Rabat, the latter being the location of the French court where Abdullah was often called for business. In 1930, the family's apartment in Rabat was attacked by a mob protesting the Berber Decree, and the looters were only forced out with the assistance of armed guards. Ibrahim was educated at a boarding school in Fez, set up by the French for the sons of prominent Muslims in Morocco. After graduation, he traveled to metropolitan France to attend the Saint-Cyr military academy in 1938. After completing his first year, he returned home to Casablanca. He was just about to travel back to France, when on September 3, 1939, the French Republic and the empire declared war on Nazi Germany. Military service World War II In response to the mobilization for war against Germany, the French Army of Africa was called up. With not enough officers to staff the colonial units, Mahmoud was temporarily appointed a lieutenant and reported to Meknes to join the 1st Moroccan Infantry Division, where he was posted to the 1st Battalion, 1st Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment. The division moved to Oran in late October, and from there sailed to Marsaille. In France, they moved to Bayonne, then to Luchon, then Toulouse, La Rochelle, and finally to Lorraine on the eastern border. Lieutenant Mahmoud and his regiment were posted in the village of Fresnes-en-Woëvre by November 1939. In January 1940, the 1st Division was again moved, this time to Uckange, then in February to Vitry-le-François. In April, the Moroccans moved to their final position, stopping in Quesnoy before arriving in Hainaut in Belgium, where they set up defenses. On May 10, 1940, Germany began its invasion of France and the Low Countries, starting the Battle of France. Mahmoud and his men faced a massive German armored attack in the Battle of Gembloux, making a fighting retreat into the town of Gembloux but continuing to hold against the Germans. After fighting a series of attacks and counterattacks on the Gembloux-Nivelles Railroad, preventing the Germans from breaking through, the Moroccans disengaged and pulled back southwest over the Scheldt River. Lieutenant Mahmoud took part in a successful counterattack on the Cimenterie Bridge near Bouchain, holding back the Germans and preventing a crossing. After regrouping at Marchiennes-Campagne, the Moroccan Division retreated from Wred to Warlaing, north of the Scarpe River. Mahmoud and the Moroccans stopped long enough to hold the Germans at the Deule Canal in the vicinity of Oignies before pulling back to the Lys River. By the end of the month, the remnants of the French forces in northern France decided to make their stand at the Siege of Lille. For several days, Mahmoud and his men fought a bloody, urban battle in the defense of Lille-Canteleu. Barely managing to escape encirclement, Lieutenant Mahmoud retreated west to the Risle River, where he tried to regroup with other French forces. However, it was of no use and Mahmoud surrendered to German forces at La Ferrière-sur-Risle in early June 1940. Imprisoned by the Germans, Mahmoud was singled out due to his noble heritage and the government in Morocco, now loyal to Vichy France, reached out to the Germans. Mahmoud was then released on the condition that he would pledge allegiance to the Vichy French State and would serve in the puppet army, to which he acceded. He traveled back to Morocco, where he was readmitted into the army as a permanent lieutenant, and was assigned to the Marrakesh Division of Morocco's defenses. Early in November 1942, the Western Allies commenced their invasion of Vichy French North Africa in Operation Torch. Lieutenant Mahmoud and his men had orders to resist, and they fought for a while near Safi against attacking American forces in Operation Blackstone. Slowly pushed back from the coast, Mahmoud held his ground as long as he could and attempted to pull back to Casablanca, but French Morocco surrendered just three days after the landing. The Vichy French units in North Africa were then transferred to Allied control, and Mahmoud was selected for promotion to captain and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment of the 1st Moroccan March Division. Category:Soldiers in World War II Category:Soldiers in the First Indochina War Category:Soldiers in the Ifni War Category:Soldiers in the Sand War Category:Moroccan soldiers Category:French Colonial soldiers